the memoirs of marie antoinette-第73节

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me；　and　desired　that　another　play　might　be　performed。　　They　accordingly　selected　〃La　Gouvernante；〃　almost　equally　unfortunate　in　title。

The　Queen；　Madame　the　King's　daughter；　and　Madame　Elisabeth　were　all　well　received　on　this　occasion。　　It　is　true　that　the　opinions　and　feelings　of　the　spectators　in　the　boxes　could　not　be　otherwise　than　favourable；　and　great　pains　had　been　taken；　previously　to　these　two　performances；　to　fill　the　pit　with　proper　persons。　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the　Jacobins　took　the　same　precautions　on　their　side　at　the　Theatre　Italien；　and　the　tumult　was　excessive　there。　　The　play　was　Gretry's　〃Les　Evenements　Imprevus。〃　Unfortunately；　Madame　Dugazon　thought　proper　to　bow　to　the　Queen　as　she　sang　the　words；　〃Ah；　how　I　love　my　mistress！〃　in　a　duet。　　Above　twenty　voices　immediately　exclaimed　from　the　pit；　〃No　mistress！　　no　master！　liberty！〃　　A　few　replied　from　the　boxes　and　slips；　〃Vive　le　Roi！　　vive　la　Reine！〃　　Those　in　the　pit　answered；　〃No　master！　no　Queen！〃　The　quarrel　increased；　the　pit　formed　into　parties；　they　began　fighting；　and　the　Jacobins　were　beaten；　tufts　of　their　black　hair　flew　about　the　theatre。　＇At　this　time　none　but　the　Jacobins　had　discontinued　the　use　of　hairpowder。MADAME　CAMPAN。＇　A　military　guard　arrived。　　The　Faubourg　St。　Antoine；　hearing　of　what　was　going　on　at　the　Theatre　Italien；　flocked　together；　and　began　to　talk　of　marching　towards　the　scene　of　action。　　The　Queen　preserved　the　calmest　demeanour；　the　commandants　of　the　guard　surrounded　and　encouraged　her；　they　conducted　themselves　promptly　and　discreetly。　　No　accident　happened。　　The　Queen　was　highly　applauded　as　she　quitted　the　theatre；　it　was　the　last　time　she　was　ever　in　one！

While　couriers　were　bearing　confidential　letters　from　the　King　to　the　Princes；　his　brothers；　and　to　the　foreign　sovereigns；　the　Assembly　invited　him　to　write　to　the　Princes　in　order　to　induce　them　to　return　to　France。　　The　King　desired　the　Abbe　de　Montesquiou　to　write　the　letter　he　was　to　send；　this　letter；　which　was　admirably　composed　in　a　simple　and　affecting　style；　suited　to　the　character　of　Louis　XVI。；　and　filled　with　very　powerful　arguments　in　favour　of　the　advantages　to　be　derived　from　adopting　the　principles　of　the　constitution；　was　confided　to　me　by　the　King；　who　desired　me　to　make　him　a　copy　of　it。

At　this　period　M。　M…；　one　of　the　intendants　of　Monsieur's　household；　obtained　a　passport　from　the　Assembly　to　join　that　Prince　on　business　relative　to　his　domestic　concerns。　　The　Queen　selected　him　to　be　the　bearer　of　this　letter。　　She　determined　to　give　it　to　him　herself；　and　to　inform　him　of　its　object。　　I　was　astonished　at　her　choice　of　this　courier。　　The　Queen　assured　me　he　was　exactly　the　man　for　her　purpose；　that　she　relied　even　upon　his　indiscretion；　and　that　it　was　merely　necessary　that　the　letter　from　the　King　to　his　brothers　should　be　known　to　exist。　　The　Princes　were　doubtless　informed　beforehand　on　the　subject　by　the　private　correspondence。　　Monsieur　nevertheless　manifested　some　degree　of　surprise；　and　the　messenger　returned　more　grieved　than　pleased　at　this　mark　of　confidence；　which　nearly　cost　him　his　life　during　the　Reign　of　Terror。

Among　the　causes　of　uneasiness　to　the　Queen　there　was　one　which　was　but　too　well　founded；　the　thoughtlessness　of　the　French　whom　she　sent　to　foreign　Courts。　　She　used　to　say　that　they　had　no　sooner　passed　the　frontiers　than　they　disclosed　the　most　secret　matters　relative　to　the　King's　private　sentiments；　and　that　the　leaders　of　the　Revolution　were　informed　of　them　through　their　agents；　many　of　whom　were　Frenchmen　who　passed　themselves　off　as　emigrants　in　the　cause　of　their　King。

After　the　acceptance　of　the　constitution；　the　formation　of　the　King's　household；　as　well　military　as　civil；　formed　a　subject　of　attention。　The　Duc　de　Brissac　had　the　command　of　the　Constitutional　Guard；　which　was　composed　of　officers　and　men　selected　from　the　regiments；　and　of　several　officers　drawn　from　the　National　Guard　of　Paris。　　The　King　was　satisfied　with　the　feelings　and　conduct　of　this　band；　which；　as　is　well　known；　existed　but　a　very　short　time。

The　new　constitution　abolished　what　were　called　honours；　and　the　prerogatives　belonging　to　them。　　The　Duchesse　de　Duras　resigned　her　place　of　lady　of　the　bedchamber；　not　choosing　to　lose　her　right　to　the　tabouret　at　Court。　　This　step　hurt　the　Queen；　who　saw　herself　forsaken　through　the　loss　of　a　petty　privilege　at　a　time　when　her　own　rights　and　even　life　were　so　hotly　attacked。　　Many　ladies　of　rank　left　the　Court　for　the　same　reason。　　However；　the　King　and　Queen　did　not　dare　to　form　the　civil　part　of　their　household；　lest　by　giving　the　new　names　of　the　posts　they　should　acknowledge　the　abolition　of　the　old　ones；　and　also　lest　they　should　admit　into　the　highest　positions　persons　not　calculated　to　fill　them　well。　　Some　time　was　spent　in　discussing　the　question；　whether　the　household　should　be　formed　without　chevaliers　and　without　ladies　of　honour。　　The　Queen's　constitutional　advisers　were　of　opinion　that　the　Assembly；　having　decreed　a　civil　list　adequate　to　uphold　the　splendour　of　the　throne；　would　be　dissatisfied　at　seeing　the　King　adopting　only　a　military　household；　and　not　forming　his　civil　household　upon　the　new　constitutional　plan。　　〃How　is　it；　Madame；〃　wrote　Barnave　to　the　Queen；　〃that　you　will　persist　in　giving　these　people　even　the　smallest　doubt　as　to　your　sentiments？　　When　they　decree　you　a　civil　and　a　military　household；　you；　like　young　Achilles　among　the　daughters　of　Lycomedes；　eagerly　seize　the　sword　and　scorn　the　mere　ornaments。〃　　The　Queen　persisted　in　her　determination　to　have　no　civil　household。　　〃If；〃　said　she；　〃this　constitutional　household　be　formed；　not　a　single　person　of　rank　will　remain　with　us；　and　upon　a　change　of　affairs　we　should　be　obliged　to　discharge　the　persons　received　into　their　place。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　added　she；　〃perhaps　I　might　find　one　day　that　I　had　saved　the　nobility；　if　I　now　had　resolution　enough　to　afflict　them　for　a　time；　I　have　it　not。　　When　any　measure　which　injures　them　is　wrested　from　us　they　sulk　with　me；　nobody　comes　to　my　card　party；　the　King　goes　unattended　to　bed。　　No　allowance　is　made　for　political　necessity；　we　are　punished　for　our　very　misfortunes。〃

The　Queen　wrote　almost　all　day；　and　spent　part　of　the　night　in　reading：　her　courage　supported　her　physical　strength；　her　disposition　was　not　at　all　soured　by　misfortunes；　and　she　was　never　seen　in　an　ill…humour　for　a　moment。　　She　was；　however；　held　up　to　the　people　as　a　woman　absolutely　furious　and　mad　whenever　the　rights　of　the　Crown　were　in　any　way　attacked。

I　was　with　her　one　day　at　one　of　her　windows。　　We　saw　a　man　plainly　dressed；　like　an　ecclesiastic；　surrounded　by　an　immense　crowd。　　The　Queen　imagined　it　was　some　abbe　whom　they　were　about　to　throw　into　the　basin　of　the　Tuileries；　she　hastily　opened　her　window　and　sent　a　valet　de　chambre　to　know　what　was　going　forward　in　the　garden。　　It　was　Abbe　Gregoire；　whom　the　men　and　women　of　the　tribunes　were　bringing　back　in　triumph；　on　account　of　a　motion　he　had　just　made　in　the　National　Assembly　against　the　royal　authority。　　On　the　following　day　the　democratic　journalists　described　the　Queen　as　witnessing　this　triumph；　and　showing；　by　expressive　gestures　at　her　window；　how　highly　she　was　exasperated　by　the　honours　conferred　upon　the　patriot。

The　correspondence　between　the　Queen　and　the　foreign　powers　was　carried　on　in　cipher。　　That　to　which　she　gave　the　preference　can　never　be　detected；　but　the　greatest　patience　is　requisite　for　its　use。　　Each　correspondent　must　have　a　copy　of　the　same　edition　of　some　work。　　She　selected　〃Paul　and　Virginia。〃　　The　page　and　line　in　which　the　letters　required；　and　occasionally　a　monosyllable；　are　to　be　found　are　pointed　out　in　ciphers　agreed　upon。　　I　assisted　her　in　finding　the　letters；　and　frequently　I　made　an　exact　copy　for　her　of　all　that　she　had　ciphered；　without　knowing　a　single　word　of　its　meaning。

There　were　always　several　secret　committees　in　Paris　occupied　in　collecting　information　for　the　King　respecting　the　measures　of　the　factions；　and　in　influencing　some　of　the　committees　of　the　Assembly。　M。　Bertrand　de　Molleville　was　in　close　correspondence　with　the　Queen。　The　King　employed　M。　Talon　and　others；　much　money　was　expended　through　the　latter　channel　for　the　secret　measures。　　The　Queen　had　no　confidence　in　them。　　M。　de　Laporte；　minister　of　the　civil　list　and　of　the　household；　also　attempted　to　give　a　bias　to　public　opinion　by　means　of　hireling　publications；　but　these　papers　influenced　none　but　the　royalist　party；　which　did　not　need　influencing。　　M。　de　Laporte　had　a　private　police　which　gave　him　some　useful　information。

I　determined　to　sacrifice　myself　to　my　duty；　but　by　no　means　to　any　intrigue；　and　I　thought　that；　circumstanced　as　I　was；　I　ought　to　confine　myself　to　obeying　the　Queen's　orders。　　I　frequently　sent　off　couriers　to　foreign　countries；　and　they　were　never　discovered；　so　many　precautions　did　I　take。　　I　am　indebted　for　the　preservation　of　my　own　existence　to　the　care　I　took　never　to　admit　any　deputy　to　my　abode；　and　to　refuse　all　interviews　which　even　people　of　the　highest　importance　often　requested　of　me；　but　this　line　of　conduct　exposed　me　to　every　species　of　ill…will；　and　on　th